John tolbe



(ModeL) J. TOLER'. GASTER.

No. 243,998.- Patented. July 5, 1881.

WITNESSE I Q YENTOR: jfi Y ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN TOLER, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

CASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 243,998, dated July 5, 1881. Application filed May 10, 1881. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN TOLER, of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain useful Improvements in Furniture-Casters, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a self-securing caster sleeve or thimble.

The invention is an improvement on the furniture-caster for which Letters Patent No. 224,249 were issued to me February 3, 1880; and it consists of a sleeve or thimble made in twolongitudinal semi-cylindrical sections,both of which have flan ges at one end that fit against the bottom of the leg of the piece of furniture to which they are applied. One of the sections is provided with a pointed spur that pro jects outward at right angles, and holds said section in place in the socket formed in the leg of the article of furniture, and the other section-which has its inner endclosed by a cap that serves as the bearing for the point of the caster-spindle, and has an interior semiannular flange that is designed to hold the caster in place by engaging beneath the shoulder on said spindle-is provided on the outside, near its flanged end, with three short projecting longitudinal ribs, two of which are arranged side by side, with a space between them, while the third, which is in advance of the others and toward the closed end of the said section, is arranged parallel with the others on a line extended midway between them, so that when said sleeve or thimble is driven into the socket designed for it, the rib in advance will form in the wood a furrow, groove, or socket for itself, while the ribs in the rear thereof, in forming other grooves or furrows on either side of the first one, force the fibers of the wood laterally, so as to nearly or quite close the furrow or groove in rear of the advanced rib, and thereby prevent the accidental withdrawal of said advanced rib, and consequently, in combination with said rib, hold the sleeve or thimble in place.

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional elevation of the thimble or sleeve fixed in a table-leg, with the caster in position. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of a portion of a table-leg, showing the caster-socket and the grooves or furrows formed by the caster thimble or sleeve. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the improved section of the caster sleeve or thimble. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the caster sleeve or thimble on line 00 00, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, A represents the caster sleeve or thimble, consisting of two semi-cylindrical sections, B 0, provided with flanges a a on their outer ends. The section B has formed on its inner end, and at right angles to it, a cap, 1), preferably convex on its inner face, and extending to the opposite section, 0, so as to entirely close the end of said sleeve A, and form a bearing for the point of the casterspindle I). This section B has formed on its interior a semi-annular flange, c, that engages beneath the shoulder d of the caster-spindle D, and thereby holds the caster E in place. Outwardly said sleeve-section B is provided with two short parallel ribs, f f, that are set a little distance apart, and extend from the flange to. These ribs ffhave their ends beveled on the inside, as shown at g g, to force inward the fibers of the wood in the socket h of the leg F of the table or other article of furniture to which the caster E may be applied.

In advance of the ribs f f is fixed a triangular rib, 7a, with point toward the inner end of the sleeve B. The sleeve-section O is provided with a projecting spur, 1, that is de signed, by holding in the socket h, to prevent said sleeve-section G from falling out.

The caster E is applied by clasping the sleeve A about the spindle D, and then forcing all together into the socket h. As the said sleeve A is forced in, the rib It forms a groove or furrow, m, as shown in Fig. 2, and the ribs f f form on either side of this furrows n, whereby the fibers of the wood in the socket h are forced laterally with the effect of closing, or nearly so, the furrow m in rear of the rib 70, thereby preventing the easy or accidental withdrawal of said rib is from the furrow it has 5 vided with outward spur, I, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the caster E, hav- :5 ing a spindle, D, provided with shoulder d, of the caster-sleeve A, provided with cap 12, inward flange, e, ribs ff k, and spur l, substantially as herein shown and described.

JOHN TQLER.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR DEVINE, JOHN M. BURNELL. 

